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October 13, 2011

REVIEW: Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1)
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Published: 6 September 2011
Edition: 1st; Hardcover: 352 pagesGrace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight

My Review:

I'm a complete sucker for Greek mythology. If there is a book with some variation of Greek mythology I go on and grab it. I don't read the first page or whatever. I just go and get it. I know I'm bound to love it. And I have to say that I loved Sweet Venom. So lets start by mentioning the things I loved about this book.

1. The Mythology
Like I said, I love Greek mythology and although this has a twist to it, I still loved it. Decedents of Medusa? I mean, come on? It can't get any kick ass than that. All I ever hear about Medusa is that she's an evil snake headed lady who seduces men to turn them into stone all because Athena was angry at Medusa for seducing Poseidon. So, in Sweet Venom, Medusa is the good girl. She's not the evil monster everyone thought she was and I found that very refreshing. It was something different. And I love different. Also, you encounter plenty of creatures in this book and although I have no clue what some of them are it is very reminiscent of my time reading Percy Jackson. This is basically the girl version of the Percy Jackson series! :]

2. The Sisters
Ah, Gretchen, Grace and Greer. Can I just say that I love these three. I think these three being triplets is the second thing that got me to pick up this book. I always here twins being separated and birth and blah blah. That's boring. This is awesome! Triplets separated at birth and adopted into three different families. Two of the sisters find out their huntresses?! That's exciting in of itself. Also, my favorite of the three is Grace. She really comes full circle in this book. We see her as this girl who's smart and pretty, but a push-over. I have to admit there were times I wanted to yell at her for sticking up for herself. But in the end her confidence boosts up and she has this courage that has always been there. Grace is strong, she just never knew it. Oh and Gretchen. I loved her too. Not as much as Grace though. There were times when I wanted to smack Gretchen for trying to always appear strong. But in a way I understand. I get what she's going through. Now for Greer. Oh gosh. I thought I would hate her. Like Gretchen said, she's a SNOB. But she'll surprise you in the end and maybe, just maybe she'll change your mind.

3. The 3 Perspectives/ Character Development
This is another book that was successful in differentiating the perspectives of the main characters. I didn't have to look at the chapter title to know that I'm reading a chapter told by Grace or Gretchen or Greer. I just knew. Each character has a different personality. They were so well developed that I had no problem recognizing whose head I was in. I loved how I could dive right into the chapter and feel as if I'm with the character, seeing what they see. Feeling what they feel. Grinning and feeling giddy as they do.

4. The Boys/ Romance
The boys of this book are very swoon-worthy. I have to say my favorite of the 4 would have to be Nick. He's funny and cute. He gets on your nerves, but somehow you still want him around. Milo, oh gosh. He's a sweetheart. The golden boy that lives next door. He's the type you want to bring home to Mother. Now there is Kyle. I have to say he is my least favorite. I just didn't like him. He was pretty much forgettable and he doesn't seem bf material for the main characters anyway. And then there is Thane. *sigh* Don't get me started on him. I have my own opinions about who I want him to end up with. Anyway, the romance in this book is very downplayed. It's not the center of the story and I like that. Not all books need a lot of romance and this one is like that. The main focus is on the three sisters, not on these boys. I just love how we see them time to time in the book. I love how Tera didn't just add the romance for the heck of it. It fits well into the story. It's there not because it's essential to the story, but essential to Grace, Gretchen and Greer's life. Love comes around when you're 16. And I love how it seemed realistic and none of this "Insta-Love" that happens often in some books. It's normal and rational and cute.

5. The Writing/ Flow/ Pacing
This book was so easy to read. It was very enjoyable and I found myself grinning like a complete idiot in public places. Everything flowed, from the writing to the storyline to the end. I couldn't get enough. If school wasn't wreaking havoc into my life, I could have finished this book in one sitting. That's how good it was. That's how easy it was to read. I didn't have to go back to some pages and be like: what? when did she say that? And so on. I had no problems with grammar or spelling or anything of the sort. The book just flows. The pacing is not too fast nor too slow. It was just right. You got a chance to ease into the story without feeling overwhelmed and you end up knowing the characters really well. Also, it wasn't predictable. I didn't know what was going to happen next. I didn't know when the next monster was going to strike.

I want/need more of and my thoughts on the ending!

1. More Mythology please!
I want more. I need more. I want to know more about this world.

2. More Thane.
Ok. I love Thane. Maybe I should have made him my favorite, but well he's not really an option. I need to know what's going on with him. Also, I want more of him! More please! We don't really get to know him much when I would really love to. So I hope Book 2 he'll be back and I'll be satisfied.

3. More background story on Greer
She was my least favorite of the three sisters. Greer is Greer. I can understand how she feels! I just want to know more! I mean, she did turn around at some point but she's not as prominent in the book compared to Gretchen and Grace.

4. The Ending.
I want MORE! lol. I don't even know if I can define that ending as a cliffhanger or just a big complete tease! So Book 2 better come out in the quickness because I need to know what happens next. The ending is good. Real good. But it's the type of ending where you want to rip your hair out because you have to wait a freaking year or so to find out what the hell happens next!

So basically this book was love love love. I couldn't ask for a better book that has to deal with Greek mythology and long lost triplets and kick ass huntresses. I'll be on the lookout for Book 2!

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Jessirae is the name.

Book Lover/Blogger/Reviewer magnifico with a growing love for Young Adult, New Adult and Adult books that may occasionally be devoured in between. A public health graduate who is obssessed with reading books and blasting her iPod to maximum for intense music listening and who constantly keeps track of her favorite TV shows. A certified Arizona Green Tea addict with a heart's desire to claim Jared Lynburn as her own personal book boyfriend. Lover of all things chocolate, candy and sugary sweets. I never back down from a fight, but would rather stay in to read a good book than party hard any day.I say, if it looks good, read it!